There is absolutely no excuse for this reckless, unpatriotic behavior on the part of the Republicans. The looming default crisis could be resolved in 5 minutes by simply raising the debt ceiling, as was done 7 times under Bush and 18 times…

I would like to ask through the Chair if the Senator from Ohio would yield for this question. He may recall the time not that long ago when we closed down the government of the United States for a period of time, and there were some radio…

Mr. President, today I am introducing the ``Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act'' with my colleagues Senators Cochran, Levin, Cardin, Schumer, Inouye, and Brown of Massachusetts. The Centers for…

Mr. President, ``Level the Playing Field.'' When I ask small business owners what they would like the Federal Government to do to help them thrive, the answer I most frequently hear is, ``level the playing field.'' It may be a cliche, but…

Majority vote. =========================== NOTE =========================== On page S5064, July 29, 2011, the Record reads: Mr. DURBIN. Majority veto. The online Record has been corrected to read: Majority vote. =========================…

Mr. President, I wish to thank my colleague from Ohio for talking about this issue because it is on the minds of everyone here on Capitol Hill and across the Nation. We are getting a lot of e-mails and phone calls and letters, and it is…

There have been Members of the Senate and House who have gone before the cameras and come to the floor in each of those bodies and argued that defaulting on the national debt is really not a big deal, although we have never done that one…

Mr. President, that is unacceptable. By my calculation, we have 4 days before we default on our debt, 4 days before the American economy suffers this mortal blow, 4 days before we default on America's full faith and credit for the first…

I ask unanimous consent for 5 additional minutes. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, this is a historic weekend in Washington, and I think those who are visiting the Capitol and following the proceedings understand the gravity of the decisions that lie before us. On August 2, our debt ceiling expires. That…

I have one further question. In terms of the impact on our Nation, as the Secretary of the Treasury has told the leader, can he give us, for the record, an idea of what we face if the Republicans in the House continue to delay and hold to…

During the period of time we were waiting yesterday for a decision by the House of Representatives, which they still didn't come to--during that period of time, we had an opportunity to have many personal conversations among…

Mr. President, if the minority leader doesn't mind, I would like to ask the majority leader a question. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Illinois.

Madam President, in 1939, we passed a law and the law created the debt ceiling. Before that law was passed, whenever the Government of the United States of America wanted to borrow money, it had to come to Congress. Congress had to approve…

``Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history,'' said Lincoln in an address to Congress in 1862. ``We of this Congress and this administration, we will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare…

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in support of H.R. 2548, which designates the facility of the United States…

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform minority, I am pleased to present for consideration H.R. 2244, which would rename the United States Postal Service…

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in support and consideration of H.R. 2213, which would rename the United States Postal Service facility…